Security Analyst Adib Saani has warned that the ongoing strike by the Judicial Service Staff Association of Ghana (JUSAG) could deny citizens access to justice, particularly persons on remand awaiting their day in court.
He has consequently called on the government and the association to urgently resolve their differences to prevent further disruption to the administration of justice.
Mr Saani said although strikes remained a legitimate means for workers to express grievances, he was concerned about the human rights implications of the current industrial action and its effects on people who depended on the courts for justice.
Speaking on the implications of the strike, he criticised successive governments for failing to address workers’ concerns until industrial action had been initiated, a situation he said contributed to the recurring labour disputes in the country.
He said the situation was particularly worrying from a human rights perspective, given the potential consequences for individuals whose liberty and legal proceedings depended on the effective functioning of the judicial system.
“People would be denied justice. People on remand who are supposed to have their day in court wouldn’t be able to do so,” he warned.
Mr Saani, who is also the Executive Director of the Centre for Human Security and Peacebuilding, said the situation required urgent attention, stressing the need for government to engage the association and address the issues underlying the strike.
He said resolving the impasse would be critical to protecting citizens’ rights and ensuring that the administration of justice was not further compromised by the industrial action.
